Device for applying plugs,buttons or the like to valves for aerosol containers

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR APPLYING PLUGS, BUTTONS AND THE LIKE TO VALVES OF AEROSOL CONTAINERS. A PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED UNIT FEEDS THE BUTTONS ONE AT A TIME TO A CENTERING HEAD WHICH IS ALSO PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED. A CONVEYOR SYSTEM FEEDS THE AEROSOL CONTAINERS SUCCESSIVELY TO A LOCATION BENEATH THE PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED CENTERING HEAD. IN RESPONSE TO LOCATION OF AN AEROSOL CONTAINER BENEATH THE CENTERING HEAD, THE STRUCTURE AUTOMATICALLY DELIVERS A BUTTON TO THE CENTERING HEAD WHICH THEN PNEUMATICALLY ASSEMBLES THE BUTTON WITH THE VALVE OF THE AEROSOL CONTAINER. THE THUS-TREATED CONTAINER IS THEN MOVED AWAY FROM THE CENTERING HEAD, AND THE NEXT CONTAINER IS SITUATED THEREBENEATH TO HAVE THE NEXT BUTTON ASSEMBLED WITH THE VALVE THEREOF.

w March 2, 1971 T. RUSCITTI 3,566,508

DEVICE FOR APPLYING PLUGS, BUTTONS OR .THE LIKE TO VALVES FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS Filed July 30, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 :01 0 :LI: 5 mm M a Wv' 24i- ATTORNEY 3 DEVICE FOR APPLYING- PLUGS, BUTTONS OR THE LIKE TO VALVES FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS Filed July 30, 1968' 4 5 Shets-Sheet 2- l i w 1!;

.IIIGVENTOR ATT RNEY g March 2, 1971 1'. RUSCITTI 3,566,508

' DEVICE FOR APPLYING PLUGS, BUTTONS OR THE I LIKE To VALVES FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS FilQd July 30, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 5 Mam}! 1971 T. RUSCITTI 3,566,508

DEVICE FOR APPLYING PLUGS, BUTTONS OR THE LIKE TO, VALVES FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS Filed July 30, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR 76m 0 Ausc/ff/ March 2, 1971 1'. RUSCITTI 3,566,503

7 DEVICE FOR APPLYING PLUGS, BUTTONS .OR THE LIKE TO VALVES FOR AEROSOL 'CQII'JJAIIIERS Filed July 30, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 6 mvam'ok ToMASD Ru: a/rr/ United States Patent U.S. Cl. 29-208 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for applying plugs, buttons and the like to valves of aerosol containers. A pneumatically operated unit feeds the buttons one at a time to a centering head which is also pneumatically operated. A conveyor system feeds the aerosol containers successively to a location beneath the pneumatically operated centering head. In response to location of an aerosol container beneath the centering head, the structure automatically delivers a button to the centering head which then pneumatically assembles the button with the valve of the aerosol container. The thus-treated container is then moved away from the centering head, and the next container is situated therebeneath to have the next button assembled with the valve thereof.

The present invention relates to a device for applying plugs, buttons or the like to valves for aerosol containers. These plugs or keys are utilised by the user for manually controlling the emission of the product, i.e., for opening the valve.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device which applies the button pneumatically, i.e. by shooting it by means of compressed air on to the appropriate projection from the valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for applying the button to the valve which for its own operation uses the same compressed air which shoots the buttons.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an automatically operating pneumatic device for applying the buttons.

According to the invention the device for applying plugs, buttons or the like to valves for aerosol containers is characterised by the combination of means for projecting the buttons pneumatically one at a time, and a centering head pneumatically connected to the said means so as to receive the projected button and guide it on to a container which said head provides for centering.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the apparatus which shoots the buttons;

FIG. 2 shows in elevation the device to which the invention relates;

FIG. 3 shows a section substantially corresponding to line IIIIII in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a section with some parts removed, corresponding to line IVlV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows schematically the pneumatic circuit for Patented Mar. 2, 1971 the device, with the main parts which are used for applying buttons to the containers.

With reference to the drawings, the apparatus for shooting or energetically projecting the plugs or buttons one at a time towards the valves for aerosol containers or the like, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a guide 1 curved about an axis and wherein the buttons, indicated schematically at T, slide under the force of gravity. The buttons pass through the guide, which acts as a store, into an aperture 2 wherein the guide itself terminates and through which the buttons reach the shooting zone one at a time.

The shooting apparatus comprises a body formed of three parts 3, 4 and 5 screwed together. A tube 153 is attached to the part 5 by any suitable means, e.g. by force fitting (see FIG. 2). This tube 153 forms the trajectory for the fired button which must reach a centering head 107 disposed above a container 117 (see FIG. 5) for application to the projecting valve stem.

The parts 3, 4, 5 form an axial cavity subdivided into zones of different cross-sections. In the cavity is housed a sliding body 6 with a shoulder 7 which subdivides it into two zones of different diameter, together with an axial cavity 8 which at one end of the body branches into a series of radial conduits 9. At this same end the body 6 has a flange 10 acting as a ledge. The body 6 is mounted so that it can slide axially in the cavity formed by the parts 3, 4, 5, but without rotating, due to the presence of the recess 12 wherein engages the end of a screw 13. A piston 14 is slidably mounted on body 6 and its inner face supports a packing 15 to form a seal between body 6 and piston 14, together with a packing 16 on the outer side to form a seal between the piston 14 and the part 4.

Piston 14 is acted on by a compression spring 17 whose other end abuts against a shoulder 18 formed in the axial cavity running through the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1.

At its rear end 19 the part 4 is provided with a threaded cavity for connection to a conduit which supplies compressed air.

At its front end the sliding body 6 has a semi-circular extension 20 whereon the buttons are intended to arrive when said extension 20 is below the loading aperture 2.

FIG. 1 shows the position assumed by the apparatus after the firing of a button. In this position the aperture 2 is intercepted by the body 6 so that the buttons T cannot be fed to the apparatus through guide 1. If at this moment, and as will be further described below, the aperture 19 is connected to the atmosphere, the spring 17 pushes the piston relative to the body 6, causing blockage of the radial apertures. When piston 14 touches the flange 10, the spring 17 also pushes body 6 until the end of recess 12 abuts against the screw 13 and the flange 10 abuts against the left-hand of the axial cavity. In this position the extension 20 receives a button. When it is wished to fire the button, compressed air is fed to aperture 19. This displaces both body 6 and piston 14, without the radial apertures 9 being uncovered. When the shoulder 7 on body '6 reaches the shoulder 18, the body 6 stops while piston 14 continues its movement under the force of the compressed air. The radial apertures 9 are thus uncovered and compressed air passes thorugh conduit 8 to the rear of the button, causing its forceful projection. Piston 14 stops against the step 21 formed in the axial cavity of the apparatus.

The device incorporating the apparatus just described is shown in detail in FIGS. 2-5. This comprises the piston =6, i.e. the apparatus of FIG. 1, which is supported by any suitable means on the stand 151. The buttons projected by the apparatus in FIG. 1, here indicated in general by reference 150, pass into the tube 153 and reach a centering head, indicated in general by 107, adapted to descend in each cycle on to a container to provide centering. The head 107, which is vertically movable is supported, so as to be movable and lockable in the desired position, by an upright 154 which rises from a stand 155.

As seen in FIG. 5, the tube 153 is connected to a tube 134 which forms part of head 107. The button travels through said tube-134 to the valve stem of the container coupled thereto.

The stand 155 has two conveyor belts 156, 157; these are driven by conventional motor means, not shown. The conveyor belt 156 serves to feed the containers 117 in the direction of arrow F2 up to a position indicated by A in FIGS. 4 and 5. At this position there is provided a. cross-member 160 against which the container 117 rests, and at right angles to the conveyor belt there is provided a device, generally indicated as '112, whose function is to move the container which has reached position A to position B. The movement takes place in the direction of arrow F4. During this movement the container which was in position B is transferred to position C, i.e. on to conveyor belt 157 which is provided for removing it. The rectilinear movement of the containers is due to the presence not only of the member 160 which extends to position B, but also to a parallel surface 161 of an adjustable stop member 161.

The position B is that wherein the container, which remains there a certain period of time, is provided with a button projected by the apparatus 150. More particularly (as shown in FIG. the head 107 descends on to the container which has reached station B and provides centering of said container. After this the button is projected and applied. Through the action of pusher member 112 a fresh container then passes from position A to position B, while the container which was situated at position B passes to position C and is removed thence by the conveyor 156.

Control of the various operations is provided by means of the pneumatic plant in FIG. 5, which operates as follows:

When the device is to be set in operation, the operator opens tap P through which compressed air provided by a source S then passes into conduit 101 and to a pneumatic control valve 102. At this moment the valve 102 t is in closed position, i.e. is blocking the connection between conduit 101 and conduit 101a which leads to aperture 19. Compressed air also passes to conduit 103 and thence to two branches 104, 105. Branch 104 leads to the lower chamber 106a of an operating cylinder 106 which is supported (see FIG. 2) on the column 154 by means of an arm 154a. The compressed air in chamber 106a acts against the lower face of a piston 106b, keeping it raised. This piston is rigidly attached to tube 134. On this tube 134 is keyed a ring 200' against which acts a compression spring 201 whose other end presses against the centering head 107 which is slidably mounted on tube 134. A stop (not shown) limits the downward movement of head 107 relative to its supporting tube 134. Along its periphery the tube 134 has a groove 13411 which in one specific position connects together two channels 127, 128 formed in the head 107 and connected to conduits 129, 126.

Air passes through a conduit 105 into conduits 108, 109. In conduit 108 the air passes through the pneumatic control valve 110 and reaches conduit 122 entering the cylinder 111 wherein is disposed piston 111a which controls the movements of the pusher member 112. In this condition of the pneumatic circuit the member 112 is inoperative, i.e. is displaced to the right in FIG. 5.

Air passes through conduit 109 into conduits 113, 114, in conduit 113 is disposed a tap 116 which when there is no container 117 in position A does not allow passage of air towards conduit 113a shown in dotted lines. The tap 116 (see FIG. 4) is controlled by a key or lever 118 supported by arm 160 and is intended to be compressed by a container 117 which is reaching position A so as to permit air flow from conduit 113 to conduit 113a. When the container reaches position A, tap 116 opens and the control pressure reaches valve 113 through conduit 113a, so that conduit 108 is put into connection with conduit 121, while conduit 122 is connected to atmosphere. Consequently, the pusher member moves in the direction of arrow F4 and moves the container from position A to position B. At the end of this movement an extension 112a from the member 112 strikes the control extension 123 of Valve so that the compressed air present in conduit 114 passes into conduit 124 and then into conduits 125, 126. The entrance of compressed air into the conduit 125 which terminates in the upper chamber of differential cylinder 126 causes a lowering of the centering head 107 which is laid on to the container in position B and centres it. During this phase there is a displacement of channel 134b whereby the compressed air passes from conduit 126 and channels 127, 128 to conduit 129 and thus to the branches 130, 131. The compressed air in branch 130 controls valve 102. This means that compressed air reaches device which thus fires a button on to the container in position B. (It should be noted that when conduit 130 contains no compressed air, i.e. when valve 102 does not allow compressed air to enter conduit 101a, this latter is connected via the valve to the atmosphere.)

The compressed air in branch 131 controls valve 120, in the sense that conduits 140, 119 and 113a are put into connection with the atmosphere. Consequently the valve 110 connects conduit 108 to conduit 102, so that piston 111a is moved to the right, i.e. into the initial position, while conduit 121 is connected to the atmosphere.

The initial conditions are thus repeated, when the two extensions 112a and 123 separate from each other so that conduit 124 is connected to atmosphere via valve 115.

It should be noted that piston 106b is acted on at a given moment by pressures .from opposite sides, supplied from conduits 125 and 104. The action of the pressure from 125 is predominant because of the different areas of the active surfaces in the differential piston 10612.

What I claim is:

1. A device for applyingplugs, buttons and the like to valves for aerosol containers, comprising first means for projecting the buttons pneumatically one at a time, and a centering head pneumatically connected to the said means and adapted to be aligned with a valve to guide the button and centre the latter.

2. A device as in claim 1, comprising means for conveying the aerosol containers provided with said valves, and means for guiding said containers along a predetermined track passing below the centering head.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the centering head comprises a tube, a slidably mounted spring-loaded centering body, said tube and said centering body being controlled by pneumatic motor means.

4. A device as in claim 3, wherein the guide means comprise a pneumatically controlled pusher member and also fixed guide surfaces.

5. A device as in claim 1, comprising two parallel conveyor belts between which is disposed the centering head, while the guide means comprise a pusher member which reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the two conveyor belts.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for projecting the buttons comprises a cylinder, an axially hollow first piston slidable in said cylinder, a second piston slidable on the first piston, conduits opening from the hollow piston, an abutment on the said hollow piston, and

spring means urging the second piston against said abutment to close said conduits and also urging the said axially hollow piston to a retracted position, said cylinder comprising a feed port open for supply of buttons and the like to the cylinder interior and for location on the said axially hollow piston when the latter is in the said retracted position.

7. A device as in claim 6, wherein said axially hollow piston comprises a cut-away nose the end which is withdrawn past said port in the retracted position, and the dimensions of said nose being such that one button may rest thereupon and block the axial bore in the piston, said cylinder being open at both ends namely at a first end for compressed air for displacement of both pistons from the retracted position, and subsequent fiow of compressed air through the conduit and hollow piston to project the button through the other end of the cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 

